Cultural Component
The idea of “Knowing where you come from, and who you are, and how you want to be” is a good starting point for the youth that come to our program. Using a holistic approach Changes For Hope focuses on the Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual aspects of each youth in our care, understanding that each is at a different place on their journey. We strive to ensure our staff has an aboriginal background and Changes For Hope is committed to recruiting and training staff in diverse cultural teachings. All Caregivers are required to support the cultural components into the service planning goals as much as possible.
We provide in home monthly cultural event calendars and encourage our youth to attend community events within the city and their home community. We will seek guidance from Elders for them from their own community and encourage involvement in cultural exploration.
OUR MISSION & VISION
Indigenous youth who live outside of their home community are often served by a region that has little to no involvement with their home community. Changes For Hope “Home away from Home” program through collaboration with the home community ensures that the youth needing placement outside of their communities still feel their communities are with them. We strive to ensure the youth are visiting their Nations a minimum of twice a year so that they maintain that connection.
Changes For Hope has partnered with CEO Stan Houle of 3 Chiefs Legacy Consulting to provide land based teachings to indigenous youth residing with us. Stan is able to take the youth up to Lac La Biche County for retreats to learn Traditional Land Use and Traditional Environmental Knowledge.
This cultural component is something that has been missing for many Indigenous youth that are in care. Changes For Hope will work with the Nations our youth are from to offer these retreats to their youth in care.
We also partner with numerous other Indigenous partners for language, dance and drumming.
We are committed to providing quality care and try to ensure that the Childs culture is not lost while they are in care.
